Timing and ignition device.



W. H. SAUNDERS. TIMING AND IGNITION DEVICE.

- APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, i908. 942,936, Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ATTORNEY.

W. H. SAUNDERS.

TIMING AND IGNITION DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED we. s 1, 190s.

942,936, Patented Dec. 14, 1909. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITN5SES- INVENTOR.

BY I

. --A TTORNEY.

W. H. SAUNDERS.

TIMING AND IGNITION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1908.

942,936, Patented Dec. 14, 1909 3 SHEETS-BHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

[IVVENTOR- 27 BY WM; 6%

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. SAUNDERS, OF NEW LONDON,'CONNECTICUT.

TIMING AND IGNITION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented new 119:, 1909, Application filed August 31, 1908.

Serial No. 451,073.

To all whom it may concern:

Biit known'that 1, WILLIAM H. SAUN- nnns, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New London, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Timing and Ignition Devices, of which the following is a specificanon.

My invention relates to improvements in spark and timing devices for internal combustion engines in which a make and break contact mechanism is operated by a pair of levers which are so arranged as .to pass by one another and at the end of their travel to effect a quick action of the make and break device.

The objects of my improvements are, 1st: To provide means for varying at will the time otoperation of the spark mechanism whereby the charge in the engine cylinder may be exploded either earlier or later in the rotation of the crank-shaft and thus cause the-engine to rotate in opposite directions, if desired; 2d: To provide means for effecting a very sudden or quick action of the make and-break device; 3d: To provide means for placing the make and break contact device under tension whereby fouling or sooting of the contact device may be prevented; ith: To provide means for connecting the same to some rotating part of the engine.

Other objects of the improvement will appear in the body of the specification and be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention is designed primarily to be used in connection with marine engines in the operation of which it is often desirable to reverse the direction of rotation for the purpose of propelling the boat, either ahead or astern, as may be desired, and I have devised a'sparking and timing device whereby this result may be successfully accomplished will be fully described.

In the drawings forming part of this application Figure-1 represents an'assembled plan view of the device showing the contact levers in mid position; Fig. 2 is adetail plan view showing the contact levers just before they separate to produce the spark in the engine cylinder. Fig. 3 is a'partial sectional view showing the interior arrange ,ment of the make and break device and in side elevation the connecting means between the rotating crank disk and the cross-head to other end being which one of the contact operating levers is connected. Fig. 4 is a partial-sectional view taken on the lineft' i of Fig. 3 clearly showing the means for varying the timing action of the make and break device, and the operating lever in plan view. Fig. 5 is a. detail plan view of the operating contact levers of a modified form, and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on line (3-43, Fig. 5, showing clearly the construction of the insulated joint; Fig. 7 is a detail view of the lever connection between the main shaft. and the adjusting lever.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like characters indicate the same element, a designates the engine cylinder as a whole, and b a plate secured thereto for supporting the spark-plug 0, make and break contact arm cl, and the operating parts associated therewith.

e designates a shaftextending through the plate I) and into an opening g in the cylinder wall.

it designates the securing means for the plate I) and block for attaching the same to the 'engine cylinder.

i is a stud mounted on the plate a to which is secured one end of a coil spring j, its attached to an arm which is attached to the shaft c whereby the contact arm (Z is normally held in contact with the inner end of the spark-plug 0, as shown in Fig. 3. The spark-plug 0 of the plug passes through conical shaped bushing pieces is which leave a space 0 between the shank c and the opening a in the block f, as shown in Fig. 3.

,Mountcd on the shaft (2 is a double-armed spring-supporting U-shaped member an and in the outer end of said arms are located compression springs 0 and ya that actin 0pposite directions on a contact opening and closing arm 1 which is rotatably mounted on the shoulder m" of the block or hub portion fwhich, is made integral therewith and which fits" the member 122., which member is fixedly secured to the shaft 6 on .which is mounted a make and break contact 'i inger (Z.

'The outer end off-the contactclosing arm (1 is provided with an integral elliptical boss or lug 1 that extends at right angles to the planeof the contact-closing arm Operatively, located with relation to th'e arm 9 is a second arm s that is pivotally mounted ona cross-head or sliding member t at s and is adapted to be moved back and forth on the slide a.

The sliding member t is provided with a lug 'v and a stop that is threaded therethrough and adapted to be locked in various adjusting positions by means of the nut This stop w is for the purpose of adjusting the free end of the member s with relation to the member 9 which is also provided with an elliptical shaped lug y that extends in a plane at. right angles to the arm 8. A spring z is interposed between the arm 8 and a lug 2 of the cross-head t, which spring serves the purpose of holding the arm 8 constantly against the stop to. Further reference will be made to the movements of the two arms s and g in describing the operation of the machine.

3 designates a bracket that is made integral with the engine cylinder, or if desired it may be made separate and suitably secured thereto. In the outer end of this bracket is mounted a shaft -1 that is adapted to be driven from some rotating member of the explosion engine.

5 designates a bearing-block that is mounted in the upper end of the bracket 3. This block is adapted for rotation in the bracket by reason'of the spiral groove 6 that'is cut therein, a pin .or stud 7 engaging this groove. An arm 8 extends from the bracket 3, in the outer end of which is pivotally mounted a lever 9. On this lever is mounted a spring-pressed detent 1O that/is adapted to lockthe lever 9 in various positions of ad justment on the sector-shaped arm 11 The i sleeve 13 and the pin 7 (referred to above) is carried in the outer end of the bearing element 13 so that when the lever 9 is moved forward or backward the bearing element .13, through the pin 7, will rotate the bearing block 5 and consequently change the relation of the stroke of the connecting-rod 19, one

end of which is pivotally connected to a plate 20 that is secured to the bearing-block 5, and the other end of which is pivotally connected to the sliding member 6, at the .point 21.

A. spline and groove connection is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 between the shaft 4 and the element 13 wherebyrotary movement is imparted from the shaft 4 to the .and break terminals.

sleeve 13, and whereby, by means of the pin 7, which is-carried in the outer end-of the i sleeve 13,. rotary movement 1s imparted to 1 a iases the bearing-block 5 and to the disk-member 20"which is secured to the bearing-block 5, by means of the screw 22. The disk member 20 therefore imparts reciprocating motion to the slide 2. through the connecting rod 19, as above mentioned.

Referring to Fig. 5, which is a modification of my improvement and wherein it is desirable to use the jump-spark ignition system instead of the make and break device described above, I employ means for breaking the primary circuit, as follows: 23 designates an arm that is pivotally secured to the engine cylinder at 2 1 and is constantly retained against a Ste 25 by means of the spring 26. Operatlvely located with relation to the outer end of the the part y] engages the part 27, since the roller 27 will turn when engaged by the part 7/ and will at the same time rotate the arm 23, the parts 3 and 27;being the make It is not considered necessary'to show in the drawings the electrical connections associated with this modification, but it may be stated that the sparkplug 29 is iii-electrical circuit with the arm 23.

Referring now to the operation of the preferred construction of my improvement: The shaft 4, which is driven from the engine, imparts (as explained above) rotary movements to the elements 13, 5, and 20, which movements are converted into reciprocating movements by the connecting-rod 1E), and from this rod to the member 2 Considering the member as moving downward in the direction of the arrow 30, shown in Fig. 1, the elliptical member y willslide on' the elliptical member 1, forcing the arm into the position shown in Fig. 2, to the left, and compressing the coiled spring 72. After the slide member t has moved downward far enougl1,'per1nitting the elliptical members rand 3 to disengage or snap past each other, the stored energy in the spring 7) will exert itself and violently throw the arm (1 toward the right overcoming momentarily the spring 7' and causing the make and break arm d to leavethe spark- 1 plug 0, igniting the charge. After the elliptical lugs r and g have passed each other on one side they will return on the opposite sides on the return stroke of the slide 25, and will snap pasteach other at their opposite apices. When on the return downward the U-shaped member,

stroke the two elliptical elements" 1* and y will repeat the cycle of operations.

If it is desired to reverse the direction of the rotation of the engine, the lever 9 is rotated from the center point of the -arch-; shaped arm 11, which operation varies'the relation or advances or retards the time of ignition. If the lever 9 is moved upward, as shown in Fig. 4, the engine is made to rotate right-handedly or in the advance direction of the boat, or if it is moved downward, the time of ignition, of a charge is retarded and the engine made to rotate in the opposite direction, thus moving the boat astern. T his'advance and retarded ignition is brought about by means of'the bearingblock 5 in which is cut a groove 6 of quarter turn which is engaged by the in 7, whereby when the sleeve-l3 is moved y the lever 9, the crank-pin 31 (to which the connecting rod 19 is secured) is moved in the direction of rotation of the shaft 4, or oppositely, so that the timing of the ignition will take place either before or after the engine passes the dead center line.

When the spring-bolt 10 iswithdrawn.

from the toothed arm 11, the electric circult is broken since the arm 11 is made a part of the circuit and is insulated from the frame inthe machine, as indicatedat 32; and when the bolt 10 en the circuit is closed and t e engine thereby rendered operative,

What I claim, is

1. In combination'with an internal com-' bustion engine, a sparkplug, a makeand break device engaging the same, a shaft for operating said device, a spring-actuated means for normally retaining the make and break device in'contact with the plug, and spring-actuated means for moving said device away from'the plug, and temporarily overcoming the action of the first springartuated means, saidspring-aetuatedmeans including a U-shaped member, rigid. with the shaft,-and springs mounted, in the arms of and an arm actuated from the engine for actuating the U-shaped member, whereby the make and break devise is operated.

2. A sparking tion engines, having in combination, a sparkplug, a make and break device engaging the same, a disk member adapted to be rotated from the engine, means for advancing or retarding the disk member with relation to the position of a crank-shaft of the engine,

ages the arm 11,

device for internal combusa cross-head operated from the dislmncmher, an arm'carried by the cross-head. and adapted to actuate the make and break device, said arm being provided with an elliptical-shaped lug portion, and the make and break device 7 end arm, the lug portion ofthe first arm engaging said second arm.

3. A sparking device for internal combustion engines, having in combination, a sparkplug, a make and break device engaging the same, a disk-member adapted to be rotated from the engine, means for advancing or retarding the disk-member with relation to the position'of the crank-shaft of the engine, a cross-head operated from the disk-memher, an arm carried by the cross-head, a second armengaging said arm, a Ushaped -member rigid with-the make and break. device, and springs interposed between the second arm and the U-shapedineniber, where-- by the make and break device is cushioned.

4. sparking devicefor internal combustion engines, having in combination a finger, a sparloplug engaged by said finger, a shaft for supporting the finger, a U-shaped mem ber rigid with the shaft, an arm rotatably mounted on the 'U-shaped member and rcsili 'ent means interposed between the arm and said member, a lug on the outer end of the arm, a cross-head, an arm pivoted thereto and having a lug thereon adapted to engage the lug of the arm, means for reciprocating the cross-head, whereby when the cross-head is actuated the arm will place a tension on one'of the springs of the U-shaped member, and upon the disengagement of the arms the stored energy of the sprin will actuate the make and break finger, as escribed. w

v 5. In combination with a make and breakfinger a sprak-plug, and rotatable shaft of an internal combustion engine, a bearingblock, a sleeve, means for partially rotating the block from the sleeve, a cross-head con-- nection between the finger and bearing block, an arm thereon, a stop, a spring on the cross-head, for holding the arm thereagainst, a second arm, said arms having inter-engaging elliptical lugs, means for actuating the ma ge r from the second arm whereby when the bearing-block is actuated the timing of the spark may be changed.

. WILLIAM H. SAUNDERS.

Witnesses:

MARTIN J. Comm,

, MALCOLM M. Soo'r'r.

being provided with a and. resilient ke and break fin-- 

